


The In-Between Years

by aeryncricton



Category: Gossip Girl (TV 2007)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:47:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23063431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeryncricton/pseuds/aeryncricton
Summary: A series of ficlets connecting the dots between the five year jump.
Relationships: Dan Humphrey/Serena van der Woodsen
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	1. 1

The In-Between Years

Chapter 1: The Reveal

Everyone is milling around after Chuck and Blair have returned from the police station. Serena has been aching to get Dan alone for hours. He is standing around talking to Nate when he feels a hand tugging him into the hall. She grabs his collar and pushes him up against the wall, her lips kissing a trail up his neck to his lips. "Serena, um what if someone walks in."

"I don't care," she says in between kisses. Her hands are now running through his curls. Dan couldn't catch his breath. She had removed his blazer and was now running her hands underneath his sweater. He knew this was a bad idea, so he grabbed her wrist and said, "We need to find a better place to do this."

Serena bites her lips. All she knows that she needs to feel him, all of him, but she also knows that he is right. Blair's hallway while her friends are milling around is not the right place for them to have sex. So, she grabs his hand and leads him up the stairs to her old room. The room is just as she left or as Dan left it. She pushes him on the bed. "This more your style?"

He smiles that crooked smile of his and reaches for her. Serena straddles him and helps him pull off his sweater. Ever since he revealed the reason for setting up Gossip Girl, she just wanted to lock him up in a room. She kisses up his chest and when she reaches his face she runs a hand along his jawline, her eyes speaking for her. He takes her hand and kisses her palm. He knew revealing the truth was a gamble, but she was his now and if he had anything to do with it, she always would.

Serena grabs his face and says, "Where did you go? You had that faraway look in your eyes again."

"Just thinking about today and how lucky I am," he says as he pulls her closer. His hands are roaming all over her body. He wants to be skin to skin. Dan reaches behind him and unzips her dress. He pulls roughly at the dress and she smiles. Dan reaches under the skirt of her dress and pulls at her panties while Serena undoes his pants. Their lust takes over and neither of them has the patience to fully remove their clothes. Serena straddles him as dan tugs the top of her dress down. She is a vision with her dress crumpled around her waist, her perfect cream breasts enticing him and her hair covering that angelic face of her. He reaches for her and kisses her hungrily as they ride the wave of their desire. They're panting and just as they reach their climax they hear the click of the door and they know they have been caught.

"I should have known," a disgruntled Blair said. She exists the room as quickly as she came in and Dan and Serena burst into a fit of giggles.

"We should get back down there, but I'm not done with you mister."


	2. The Cooking Lesson

Chapter 2: The Cooking Lesson

Serena was resting her head on his shoulder as she drew circles on his chest. It was another lazy afternoon in bed. It's been 6 months since Blair's impromptu wedding and she'd been living with Dan since that fateful evening. She stretched lazily as dan smiled at her.

So this is what happiness feels like

She'd gone back to finish her degree and Dan spent his days writing, clicking away on his ancient typewriter. He rarely used his laptop. She was on it most days finishing up a paper for class. But, the semester was over and it was a gorgeous spring day. She wanted to do something; anything. Serena pushed the bedsheets off of them and pulled on his arm. "Come on."

"I don't want to. Come back to bed,"Dan urged.

"No, it's time for that cooking lesson you promised,"Serena said as she crossed her arms across her bare chest.

"And you plan on doing that naked?"Dan asked as he turned on his side to watch her. Serena glared at him and left the room. She went into the kitchen and starting removing pots and pans. Dan rushed to pull on a pair of boxers and a tshirt. He found her standing in the middle of their kitchen with an apron, a pair of heels on. She was a vision and he watched her as lustily. The counter had all the materials for the kiche he'd promised to show her how to make.

"Heels?"

"It makes me feel good."

Dan walks up behind her and runs his hands under the apron and along her torso, "and this? Does this feel good?" She rests her head on his shoulder as he runs his palms up her abdomen and along her breasts. He rubs her nipple between his thumb and fore finger sending a shot of warmth through her body. Her ass pressed against his pelvis and he kisses the spot right under her ear because he knows it drives her crazy. He abrupbtly stops what he's doing and says "Let's make some kiche."

"No, no. You don't tease me like that and get away with it?"

"You mean like you in this get up,"Dan remarks.

"Touche,"She says as she reaches for his shirt and pulls it off of him. Serena pulls down his boxers and pushes him towards the counter. Dan turns and picks her up and places her on the counter. She reaches for the apron strings, but Dan stops her. "I like it's hot."

She smirks and wraps her legs around his waist. He kisses her gently at first like he's singing a song of praise with his lips, but as she clings to him tighter his tongued dives roughly into her mouth. She can feel his passion as he stirs hers. Her heels dig into his back as he pushes into her. Serena can feel the pressure of the cold tile underneath her ass, but she doesn't care. He sends her to the brink and back again like no one else can. She wonders if she'll ever have enough of him, but she's willing to spend a lifetime finding out.


	3. Someday

Chapter 3: The Talk

"Dan this car will never be able to handle this trip?" Serena said as she stared at Rufus's old bug. Dan was intent on driving that thing down to Florida. She understood that he had an unusual attachment to the vehicle since it was a big part of her childhood. "But, it's a classic"

"It's old and it's going to die on us in the middle of the road. Be reasonable," she said as she caressed his face. He looked up at her sadly and sighed. "I guess you're right."

"We can rent one that looks just like it, okay. When we get back we can send it off to a good mechanic and we'll use it for our next trip," Serena said. She hated to see the look on his face, but for a practical person he could make some seriously impractical decisions especially if it collided with his romantic nature. There were things about him she was learning everyday despite having known him for years. For the first time in years, Serena felt comfortable in her own skin. They spent lazy Sunday afternoons lounging in their apartment as Dan rubbed her feet and they worked on the New York Times crossword puzzle. Serena had one more year left to finish her degree while Dan was working away at his latest novel. She was still trying to get him to go back and finish his degrees, but he insisted that he didn't need it.

A little over an hour later, they were on the road in a comfortable four-door sedan that Serena had talked him into renting. She fiddled with the radio as Dan hummed an unfamiliar tune under his breath. She finally found a station that suited them both. Serena laid back and watched him as he drove. His hair was getting long again and a series curl were getting in his face. "You really should get your hair cut."

"I like it long,"he said matterfactly.

She smiled at him mildly, "just think about hun."

Dan ran a hand through his hair. "Does it really bother you?"

"I love your curls, but a cut can't hurt."

He tapped on the steering wheel and said, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I'll cut it,"he said.

Serena smiled and leaned over and kissed him briefly.

Dan turned on to a side street as Serena stirred. They'd been on the road for almost a day. He pulled into a small bed and breakfast that was facing the Atlantic Ocean. She stretched her arms and said, "Where are we?"

"Just outside of Charleston, "he replied. Serena yawned and pulled her hair back in a ponytail as Dan took their bags out of the trunk and brought them inside. She met up with him at reception where they were greeted by a woman in her mid-fifties. "Welcome, I have hope you have a lovely stay."

"Thanks, but we'll probably only be here for the night."

"Not according to the reservation that your husband made."

Serena smiled at the lady and said, "Oh we're not married."

"Oh I see. We get so many honeymooners around these parts that I just assumed. You make a lovely couple though."

"Thank you," Serena said as she took the key from the older woman. Once they were inside their suite, Serena laid back on the cushions and pressed her legs up to her chest. Marriage was the one topic that they had managed to avoid. They'd been back together for nearly two years and they'd been living together for most of that time. She hadn't really thought about it. The last thing she wanted to do was turn out like her mother with a series of failed marriages. "Dan?"

"Yeah babe."

"How come we're not married?"

"Where's this coming from?"he said as he joined her on the bed. "It's just that lady downstairs thought we were married."

"I guess I've just been enjoying being with you. I want to marry you if that's what you want. Are we really having this talk?"

She nodded and he turned to face her. "So, let's talk. Do you want to get married?"

"I don't know maybe some day. It's just my mom got married 7 times. Twice to my dad and twice to Bart. I just I don't want be like her."

Dan held her hand in his. "I know. I mean I guess I've always thought of getting married down the line, but we're so young and I don't want to be like my dad. But, I just know that I love you and want to be with you two we're so old."

"So, someday."

Dan smiled brightly and said, "Someday."


	4. Quality Time

Dan sat on the couch with his legs stretched out as Serena sat between his legs. They were taking turns reading from her favorite book of poetry. Poetry wasn't really his thing, but Serena loved it and for some reason she liked to force him to read it.

There be none of Beauty's daughters.

With a magic like Thee;

And like music on the waters

Is thy sweet voice to me

Dan rolled his eyes and put the book in Serena's hands. "I feel ridiculous."

She turns and looks up at him with those big blue eyes and he knows he would do anything for her. "Why do you want me to read this?"

"I love the sound of your voice. It warms me."

He cocked his eyebrow and slipped his hand underneath her sweater and said, "I can think of a better way to warm you up."

"Read," Serena insisted. She settled back against chest as he read. His hand was still under her sweater drawing circles around her belly button as he recited the rest of the Byron poem. She felt his hand inch up and caress the underside of her breast "this poem is kind of sexy."

She turned over and took the book out of his hands and placed it on the floor. "No, the poem is romantic. You reading it is sexy."

"Why Ms. Van Der Woodsen was this merely a ploy to get me into bed because it was I approve," Dan said as played with the waistband of her jogging pants. She wriggled her hips as he worked the soft material down her legs leaving her naked from the waist down. He could feel the pressure of her head on his neck as he ran his fingers between her folds. The soft purr of her moans drove him crazy, but he was focused on her. Dan loved teasing her until she was begging for more. The knowledge that he could drive her half as crazy as she drove him made him smile. "Dan, why are you torturing me?" Serena asked between moans.

"Because I can," he whispered into her ear. He pressed a hand on her thigh a motion she was well accustomed to. They were so attuned to each other's bodies that smallest gesture was all that they needed to understand what the other needed. A hand pressed to her thigh was his signal for her to open up for him. He rubbed his thumb along her clit and dipped his fingers inside. Dan kissed the spot under her ear as he used his fingers to drive her wild. She was riding a crescendo of feeling until she reached the peak and he watched her with hooded eyes as she climaxed. Her scream echoing around them as her hips bucked against his hand. Once her ragged breathing was under control, dan lifted his fingers to his mouth and said, "tasty."

Serena slapped him playfully. "You're bad."

"And I'm just getting started," he said as he smiled and lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom.


	5. Meeting Nana

Chapter 5: Meeting Nana

Serena was nervous. She wanted Dan's grandmother to love him more than anything. Serena wasn't sure what to expect? Would she be a sarcastic introvert like her grandson or an artsy enigma like his mother? For all the years, she'd known Dan, his family had been a bit of a mystery. She of course knew Rufus well and Jenny too, but she'd only met his mother once and he rarely talked about any other family while Dan seemed to know the ins and outs of her family. Dan looked over at her in concern. "Everything ok?"

She smiled brightly at him and said, "Everything's great."

"Are you sure? You have that faraway look in your eyes," Dan said with concern.

"I guess I'm just a little nervous to meet your nana."

"Nana Humphrey is going to love you," he said as he manoevered the sedan into the parking lot of a retirement home. She got out of the car and looked around. Serena spotted an older couple playing shuffle board while others lounged around a pool. Dan walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a petite woman in a blue jumpsuit. "are you just going to stand there? Come in."

Dan and Serena followed the older woman as she led them into her small apartment. "Is that how you greet your nana boy? You should know better"

Dan smiled and wrapped his arms around his grandmother. "I missed you too Nana."

"My you're so much prettier in person. I've been keeping up with your little drama thanks to danny's little project."

"Nana!"

"What? You started that website for this girl? That's what you told me."

Serena smiled ear-to-ear. She may have been a delicate woman, but she definitely was a Humphrey through and through. She reminded Serena of both Jenny and Dan.

"So, Mrs. Humphrey I love your place,"Serena said as she picked up a wooden sculpture of a giraffe.

" Call me Evie. I got that on Safari. It was the one and only vacation that my Jonah took me on before he passed, bless his soul."

"I've always wanted to go on Safari,"Serena said.

The older woman slapped Dan on the back. "Whatcha you waiting for boy. Take her before time runs out."

"I'm only 24 Nana. We've got plenty of time. Anyways, where's iggy."Dan asked.

"You and that damn cat. He's loved this fat thing since he was little. I'm surprised the damn thing is still alive."

Serena leaned on Dan as Evie went to get the cat from the other room. She placed the cat in Dan's hands and Serena watched the transformation from man to little boy. "You miss me iggy. Is Gran treating you right? You getting so fat boy."

"Is he always so attached to that Cat?"Serena asked.

Evie motioned for Serena to join her in the kitchen. She put on a kettle. "Some tea?"

"I'd love some."

Serena sat at the small kitchen table as the older woman busied herself with making the tea. She placed a steaming mug in front of Serena and opened a cupboard and pulled out a small abulm. "I think you should take a look at this. Danny he likes to put on a tough act, but he's a soft one."

"I know that's why I love him."

The older woman smiled and squeezed Serena's hand. "I'm glad everything worked out. I was a little worry when he told me about his plan. I mean it's a bit half-cocked, but it's easy to see you are as crazy about him as he is about you."

"I am. He saved me."

Evie looked at Serena warmly, "You saved each other."


	6. Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Serena celebrate another Thanksgiving together

Serena was applying the finishing touches of her make-up when Dan came behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You know you don't need any of that stuff,"he said as he nuzzled her neck.

"I like it."

"And I like the way you smell,"

Serena pushed him away and said, "We're headed down to my mother's for thanksgiving. Save that for later."

Dan let her go and leaned against the doorframe. "Do you really think this is a good idea. Thanksgiving really isn't our holiday. Something unpredictable and absolutely insane always happens."

"But, it's a family holiday Dan."

"Yes, exactly and our family is insane."

Serena placed her hand on her hips. "Well get used to their crazy. Plus this is our life now. We'll just have to grin and bear it while my mother gets drunk says something passive aggressive to your father while mine just chuckles maniacly."

"At least yours show up."

"At least we do Christmas with her,"Serena says as she wraps her arms around his neck. The strained nature of his relationship with his mother was something he rarely talked about. She just wanted to make things all better, but Alison and Dan were so much alike. They were two stubborn people who thought the other should be the first to break."

"You know you could just tell her."

"Oh that would go down really well. Hey, mom remember when you left when I was 16 and fucked up my life and nearly messed up Jenny's life. Well, I'm still mad."

"You can't keep holding it in,"Serena said as she kissed him lightly.

"But, repression and passive-aggression is the Humphrey way," Dan said as he played with the hem of her sweater.

Dan and Serena arrived to dinner hand-in-hand. Almost everyone was there. Blair and Chuck were chatting with Nate while Eric was sipping a glass of wine as he rolled his eyes at something his mother had said. They greeted Lily and Dan kept checking his watch wondering what was taking his father and Jenny so long. "Have you heard from them?"He asked Lily.

"They mentioned something about making a last minute stop before dinner,"Lily said. Serena hugged her father while Dan looked at him questioningly. He still didn't trust the man. The man really had no idea how lucky he was to have a daughter like Serena—one he took for granted. If they ever had kids, he'd make sure they were treasured especially if they had a girl. William headed over to Dan. "Daniel."

"William,"Dan responded. It was like a test of wills and Serena joined Dan's side and he relaxed. "Don't make a scene," she whispered in Dan's ear.

"I'm not doing anything."

"But, you will. You have that look in your eye,"she said. He wraps and around her waist and smiles down at her. She's right. This is not the place. Thanksgiving was so stressful and it was only bound to get worse.

Jenny and Rufus arrive with a surprise that not even Dan is prepared for. Alison is with them carrying what looks to be a store-bought pie.

"Is that?"Dan asks.

"From your favorite bakery. Yes, it is Dan. Remember that time I sent you out to pick up a pie and you came home empty-handed."

Dan smiles shyly and looks over at Serena.

"But, you had something or should I say someone else on your mind,"Alison said. All of the Humphreys looked at Serena and started laughing.

"Am I missing some kind of Humphrey inside joke."

Alison offered the pie to Serena and said, "You mean he still hasn't told you?"

Dan shrugged and said, "It was a long time ago."

"What?"

"Well one thanksgiving, I saw you and Blair outside of the pie shop. She'd just dragged you from some bar and you'd cross the street and nearly been grazed by a cab."

"And he saved you,"Jenny interjected, "But, the pumpkin pie wasn't so lucky."

Serena looked up at him and smiled. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Dan simply shrugged and helped his mother out of her coat. He was still upset, but she was here and that was a start.


	7. Writers Block

Serena sighed in frustration as she pulled her hair up in a bun and went back to working on her term paper. She was nearly through her sophomore year. She transferred her credits to NYU and was working her way through a communications degree. Dan had been great. They moved out of the apartment that he'd bought to be closer to her and into a place in Soho. He was working on his latest book in the other room. She could hear the sound of the old typewriter ash he worked. She loved how he wrote his manuscripts on that old thing. He said it brought him luck. Serena stretched and decided it was time for a break. Dan was sitting at his desk in their spare room, the clickity of clack of his typewriter the only sound that could be heard. Serena leaned against the doorway and just watched him. Her Dan. It had been nearly two years since she'd gotten him back, yet it felt like they'd been like this forever. It was as if they'd never parted. His curls fell in his face and she knew he was putting off getting his haircut, but no matter what he was beautiful to her. Serena sauntered over to him and placed her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Hey, baby"

Dan swung aound and grabbed her by her waist and lifted her on to his lap. He kissed her hungrily and said, "hey. How's the paper going?"

"It's going."

He rubbed her shoulders and rn his finger along the line of her neck. "I'm sure it will be great."

Serena ran her fingers through the curls at the back of his head. They were soft and enticing. She hopped off his lap and pulled him to his feet. "We've both earned a break,"she said as she led him to the bedroom. She giggled and pushed him on the bed. Serena straddled his lap before undoing the buttons of his flannel shirt. Dan smiled up at her and pulled the elastic out of her hair. "I love your hair"

He ran his fingers through the long blonde locks as she kissed along his chest. Dan placed his hands on her hips and flipped her so she was on her back. Pushing her tshirt up he began blowing soft kisses on her abdomen. Serena wiggled impatiently and he knew that was his signal. Dan undid the buttons of her shorts and helped her remove them. He made quick work of his jeans as well. The sunlight streamed through their bedroom as she hovered over him. Dan kissed her breasts as as she rode him until all thought escaped him. He opened his eyes and the light made her seem even more golden. "My golden siren."


	8. Standing up for Serena

Dan had witnessed more than his fair share of fights between Serena and Blair, some he was responsible others had little to do with him. Most of them involved Serena apologizing to Blair for whatever the other girl deemed was her misgiving. Dan knew that she mostly felt bad for one mistake and she kept paying over and over again. Serena slept with Blair's one time boyfriend, a crime for which there seemed to be no statue of limitations. But, his patience had run out one summer evening in 2015. He was working on his first mystery novel which was a departure from his usual work. A big source of inspiration was his desire to see the irritating people who resided on the UES meet their untimely and justified ends. Serena was finishing up her last set of finals before she would graduate. It had taken her three long years to complete her degree, but the end was near. Blair came rushing into their apartment and immediately started barking orders at Serena. Her latest line was struggling and henry was being difficult which wasn't all that surprising considering that he was nearly two years old.

"So let me guess, you've been two busy with your low-rent boyfriend to have time for your bestfriend or your god-son?"

"I'm sorry Blair, but I've been busy."

"With what exactly?"

"Finals and other things."

"Well, I need you and you never have time for me anymore,"Blair whinged.

"B, I'm sorry, but finishing school is really important and you know I also am working with Dan."

Blair waved her hand in the air, "Enough. I don't want to hear about how you are planning Humphry's book events. Ugh I thought you'd have come to your senses by now. Not even the whole gossip girl thing woke you up. When are you going to realize he's not good enough."

"Blair! I love him!"

"You love everybody. Has their been a man in the city you haven't been with."

Dan walked into the room as blair brought up the miriade of men that Serena had been with. He placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "That's enough Blair! Leave."

"You can't kick me out, Humphrey. I'm not one of your hipster groupies."

"My name is on the deed. It's my apartment and I don't want you here unless you can speak to Serena with a little respect. Her life does not revolve around your needs."

"S! Are you going to just let him talk to me like that?"

"Blair, I'm stressed I really don't have the energy for one of your episodes. Dan's right. I think you need to go."

After she left, Dan pulled Serena into his arms. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have kicked her out. But, I hate how she talks to you."

"Well, that's Blair. She's like my sister. I mean Jenny drives you nuts sometimes right?"

Yeah, but she doesn't constantly talk down to me,"Dan said with more than a hint of irritation in his voice

"It's just her way,"Serena said.

"Well, her way sucks,"Dan said. Serena pulled him closer and said, "I love when you play hero though. It's sexy."


	9. Getting underneath your skin

A few months into their relationship, when the sex-haze started to fade and reality started to set in, Dan and Serena had their first fight. Afterall, it was what they did best. Serena had come in late after a night out drinking with Blair and another girl that they had recently allowed into their social circle. She had cuddled up to Dan and he was amused by her drunken babbling, so he lifted up the blankets and let her crawl in. He was rubbing her arms when she asked the question that was still hanging over them.

"Why do you love her more than me?"

Dan felt his body tighten. He was getting tired of reassuring her over and over. But, that is exactly what he did. "There's no one I love more than you."

She jumped out of bed and pulled the covers off him in one swift motion. She wrapped it around herself and stomped out of the room. He followed her and found her sitting on the couch wrapped in the blanket meant for two. Her wavy blonde hair was in her face and he could hear her tears.

He sat down beside her and muttered soothing words. "I don't know what's going on? Just talk to me."

"Why? So you can lie and pretend like you love me more than you loved her."

He rubbed his chin with frustration and said,"Oh for fucks sake!"

Serena's eyes were shining with anger. First Blair had said something that made her think she actually wanted Dan again and now he was throwing up walls to protect himself. She wanted to know what he was really feeling, so she started pressing him further."Don't do that! Don't act irritated because I can't forget how you hurt me; how you loved her more than you ever loved me."

Dan got up and walked off. Serena threw off the blanket and said, "Don't walk away from me when I'm trying to talk to you. Stop shutting me out!"

"This is ridiculous. I am sick of having this same conversation over and over again. I DON'T LOVE HER! I LOVE YOU!"

It's like no matter how many times he tried to reassure her, they were right back where they were right now.

"You have a strange way of showing it. Ignoring me or making me feel like I wasn't enough for over a year. That's not love!"

Dan wanted to grab her and shake her. Instead he got angry.

"What the hell are you talking about? How many times did you walk away from us? Walk away from me? I was hurt and I thought I loved her, but I never did."

Serena bit her lip. "I was scared."

His face softened and he ran his thumb along her cheek. "And you think I wasn't scared. It was supposed to be us against the world instead it was them versus me."

"What are you talking about?"

Dan turned and walked towards the window. He looked out at the city because anything was easier than looking her in the face and confronting everything that I had been through.

"Your friends: your world. I wasn't ever good enough and you were never strong enough to fight for us."

"So, you decided to date my best friend?"

He turned around slowly and faced her; faced the truth of his own actions and said, "No, I wanted to hurt you because I thought it was easier than loving you. It's hard to explain. At the time, it felt like the right thing to do. I was expendable to you. My feelings didn't matter; just what you wanted in that moment and if I wasn't going to wait around to hell with me. So, I wanted you to feel as awful as I felt. But, somewhere along the line, I convinced myself that living a half-life was better than feeling pain. She never made me smile and laugh the way you did. With her I got to be the hero. I was someone she needed."

"But, I needed you."

"No you never really needed me Serena. In many ways, you are exactly like your mother. It's fine if its on your terms. But, I'm not my dad and I wasn't about to play by your rules. So, I made other plans."

Serena was so confused by him. She thought she knew him. How could a man like this say he loves her and why did she still want him? "I never meant to hurt you Dan"

"Stop lying! You did! You were punishing me."

Serena was taken aback by that comment and not because it wasn't true. It was like he had reached into that part of her that she tried to pretend didn't exist. But, she didn't tell him that, instead she got defensive. "For what?"

"Not jumping when you said jump. For taking away your control." Dan stepped closer to her and held her face in his hands. "I unsettle you. I get under your skin. With the others, you called the shots. They could never see beyond your golden exterior, to the darker parts of you." He grabbed her hair and kissed her feverishly and released her, "to the part of you that wants to lash out and scratch. I wasn't afraid of that darkness because I have it too. But we were both running into walls looking to find that spark with others."

Serena said nothing. She stood there starring at him before saying the hell with it. She grabbed him by collar of his t-shirt and pulled her to him. "I hate the way you make me feel."

"Liar! You love it, but its okay I'm not going anywhere."

Serena kissed him and this time he let her take control because tonight that was exactly what she needed. To feel like she was in the driver's seat.


	10. A key moment

2016

Serena paced back and forth on the hardwood floor of the loft that she lived in with Dan. It had been nearly six months since she had graduated college. She was working as an intern for a prestigious event organizer. But, often she was running personal errands for her boss. She wasn't even allowed to sit in on meetings. She was waiting for Dan to come home and she nearly threw herself into his arms as soon as he walked into the door.

"Hey, love the greeting, but what's wrong."

"I hate my job. I need to do more. But, right now I need you."

Dan held her and rubbed her back as he whispered words of comfort in her ear. He hated to see her so upset. He had just come from a frustrating meeting with his editor, but this was not the time or place to talk about his problems. His girl needed him and they both needed to forget their problems for the night.

"I have an idea. Why don't we go out?"Dan suggested.

"I guess, but I'm not really in the mood to do anything."

"I was thinking we could go to your favourite trattoria and maybe share a bottle of wine. It doesn't have to be a big deal. I just think we both need to get out of this apartment and do something else," he said.

Dan noticed the look of glee at her suggestion. What he didn't know that he had other plans up his sleeves. He let her use the shower while he took the small black box out of briefcase and slipped it into his jacket pocket. He had wanted to propose for the past few years, but he wanted them to be settled first. But, after nearly four years together, he felt like the timing was finally right.

Dan laid the jacket on the bed as he showered. Serena went to sit on the bed and sat on his jacket and felt something poking her, so she got up and searched the jacket and found the ring box. Her face lit up and she put her the ring back where she had found it.

She rifled through her wardrobe until she found the perfect dress. It was a short gold sequined dress. If she knew Dan, he was planning to take her somewhere more upscale than what he had just mentioned. He loved to go all out even if she didn't really care where he took her as long as they were together.

Dan got dressed quickly as she finished up her hair and make up and they both looked stunning as they left to hit the town. He had booked the restaurant for the night, so they would be the only ones there.

Serena was pleasantly surprised when he took her to the Trattoria he had mentioned earlier. The food was amazing and by the time they served dessert Dan had yet to propose.

"I was thinking we could go for a walk before heading home."

The two of them strolled hand in hand and Serena was beginning to get uneasy wondering when he was finally going to propose. She thought he would do it at the restaurant, but he hadn't even broached the subject yet.

They were standing on familiar cobblestone streets when Dan said, "do you remember this spot?"

Serena smiled and said, "of course I do. It's where you finally got the nerve to kiss me so many years ago. The night Jenny and Blair broke my brother out of Ostroff."

"We've certainly come a long way since that fateful night, but I've never stopped feeling the way I did that night,"Dan said as he dropped to one knee. He opened the ring box and said, "Serena Celia van der Woodsen I've loved you since I was thirteen years old and I won't stop until I leave this life. So, will you do this fool a favour and marry me?"

Serena had tears coming from her eyes and she pulled him up off the floor and wrapped herself up in his arms.

"So, that's a yes?"Dan said.

Serena shook her head and laughed, "of course it's a yes, you fool." He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her on the cobblestone streets where they'd had their first kiss.


End file.
